Nadira's small hands pressed against the cold, cracked windowsill, her breath fogging the glass in soft, uneven puffs. Outside, the city lay broken and silent—a graveyard of shattered buildings, their jagged edges draped in moss and shadow. The air was thick with heat, carrying the faint scent of earth and something strange, something otherworldly. Somewhere beyond the ruins, a low growl rumbled, distant but steady, like the heartbeat of a world that refused to die.
Her wide black eyes didn't blink as they traced the slow, deliberate movements of a massive creature at the edge of the jungle. Its green-patterned skin shimmered faintly in the sunlight, scales catching the light like stained glass. The beast moved with a heavy grace, feeding on the infected plants that carpeted the forest floor. Nadira's fingers curled tighter around the windowsill, knuckles whitening. Her throat felt dry, the heat prickling like tiny needles.
"Nadira!" Her mother's voice called softly from the kitchen, breaking the fragile silence.
The girl turned slowly, a small, hesitant smile touching her lips as she stepped away from the window. "Yes, Ma?"
Inside, the house smelled of smoke and stale bread, the faint clatter of a metal pot stirring a quiet rhythm. Salim's footsteps were soft but steady, a fragile comfort in a world that had grown harsh and unforgiving. Yazid's voice drifted in from outside, low and steady, promising to return soon with news of survivors.
The last of the food from her grandfather's package was nearly gone. After the meal, her parents planned to venture out once more, searching the ruins for any signs of life. Supplies were scarce, but her grandfather's aid was their lifeline, a distant beacon of hope. Tomorrow, they hoped, they would make the long journey to his house—two hundred kilometers away—seeking safety, answers, and perhaps a new beginning.
Before they left, a small package arrived from her grandfather—a gift wrapped in worn cloth, heavy and mysterious. Nadira's eyes sparkled with a flicker of hope as she carefully unwrapped it, revealing a strange armored hand. It looked almost like a monster's claw, dark and intricate, pulsing faintly with hidden power.
"It's for you," Yazid said softly, placing it gently in her small hands. "To protect you when we can't be here."
Nadira turned the armor over, feeling its weight and warmth seep into her skin. She clutched it close, a fragile ember of courage glowing inside her chest.
As the sun dipped low, Salim and Yazid prepared to leave, their faces set with quiet determination. Nadira watched them go, the armored hand resting on her lap, the city's shadows stretching long and deep.
Left alone, Nadira's gaze drifted back to the broken window. Far in the distance, the crack pulsed softly—a faint, eerie glow like a heartbeat in the fractured world.
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That night, after the house had fallen silent and the cold seeped through every crack and crevice, Nadira sat alone by the dim flicker of a dying candle. Her fingers traced the edges of a dark box that had arrived earlier, heart pounding with a mix of fear and wonder.
She hesitated, then touched it again.
The box shifted, opening slowly like a flower blooming in the dark.
Inside lay the clothes—dark as midnight, marked with deep red patterns that pulsed faintly, alive with quiet power. Thorny chains curled around the right sleeve, cold and sharp as broken glass. A glowing emblem rested on the left chest, casting a soft, eerie light that seemed to breathe.
Nadira's breath caught as she slipped into the garment. It clung to her skin like a second layer, warm but strange. The thorny chains bit into her wrist, sharp and unyielding. She tried to pull them off, but they tightened, biting deeper.
A sudden pinch flared at her ears as the skeleton-themed earrings clasped themselves in place—no need for pierced ears. The watch on her left wrist hummed softly, and the shoes whispered secrets as they settled on her feet.
Pain blossomed—sharp, relentless. The clothes felt alive, nails digging into her flesh, chains tightening, earrings pinching. Tears welled in Nadira's eyes, her small body trembling as the world around her blurred and faded.
She cried out silently, but no one came.
Darkness swallowed her whole.